Saxon Switzerland / Bastei

Dresden lies on both sides of the Elbe in the Elbe Valley Basin and is known as 'Florence on the Elbe' due to its art collections. Under August the Strong, the city gained cultural significance through the Dresden Baroque. Following the air raids from February 13 to 15, 1945, the historic Old Town south of the Elbe was partially rebuilt; the Frauenkirche, however, only between 1993 and 2005.On the Old Town side, the Zwinger, Semperoper, Residenzschloss, and Brühl's Terrace stand together. Opposite, on the right bank of the Elbe, is the Neustadt. The Äußere Neustadt, almost undamaged in the war, is now the main entertainment district for Dresdeners, with cafés, pubs, bars, and small shops.

Saxony borders Poland to the east and the Czech Republic to the south. The Elbe is the Free State's most important and only navigable river, flowing through it from southeast to northwest. On its banks lies the state capital, Dresden, whose baroque cityscape, with the Frauenkirche, Zwinger, and Semperoper, attracts visitors from all over the world.Leipzig is Saxony's most populous city, a trade fair and university city with a rich musical tradition centered around Johann Sebastian Bach and Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy. Those seeking nature will find it upstream along the Elbe in Saxon Switzerland, the Saxon part of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, as well as in the Ore Mountains, Lusatia, and Vogtland.

Görlitz on the Lusatian Neisse is Germany's easternmost city. Since 1945, the river has formed the border with Poland; its eastern districts are now the independent Polish city of Zgorzelec, reachable on foot via the Altstadtbrücke.During World War II, Görlitz remained almost entirely spared from destruction, and its historic Old Town, including Untermarkt and Obermarkt, is consequently well-preserved. This makes the city a popular and frequently used film set.

Burg, Lower Sorbian Bórkowy, is located in the heart of the Oberspreewald, about 20 kilometers northwest of Cottbus. The districts of Burg-Kauper and Burg-Kolonie developed as scattered settlements, with their farmsteads widely spread across the so-called Kaupen.Here you can rent paddle boats or be punted in a Spreewaldkahn, and the village is a starting point for water hiking tours. For the best views, head to the Bismarckturm on Schlossberg; for relaxation, the Spreewald-Therme, opened in 2005, entices with its brine water.

Lübbenau (Lower Sorbian: Lubnjow) is the gateway to the Spreewald, 80 kilometers southeast of Berlin. From the Großer Spreewaldhafen, the region's biggest port, punted barges navigate the labyrinth of waterways; tourism began here in 1882.The old town, with St. Nikolai Church (built 1738-1741) and the neoclassical castle, is already within the Biosphere Reserve. In Lehde, where mail is delivered by barge from April to October, the Open-Air Museum illustrates Spreewald life of yesteryear.